The USAID inspector general said more than 100 current or former UNRWA employees have been referred to the State Department over alleged involvement in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, with additional referrals — including possible criminal cases — still under review.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.
More than 100 current or former employees of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees have been referred to the State Department following an investigation into alleged participation in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development’s inspector general.
The watchdog announced the referrals Wednesday, saying the investigation has identified a substantial number of individuals tied to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, commonly known as UNRWA.
The inspector general did not disclose the precise number of people referred beyond saying the total exceeded 100.
Among the cases are three individuals recommended for debarment, a federal action that can prevent a person from participating in government-funded programs or receiving certain federal benefits or contracts.
One of those referrals involves a former UNRWA school teacher whom investigators identified as a Hamas operative.
According to the inspector general, that individual allegedly received and held civilian hostages beginning on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led attackers entered Israel and carried out the assault that triggered the war.
Another UNRWA employee has already been fully debarred as a result of the investigation.
That person was found to have coordinated communications with other suspected Hamas members during the Oct. 7 attacks while serving as the principal of an UNRWA school, according to the agency.
A separate individual was also proposed for debarment, but investigators later determined from available records that the person had died. The proposal was subsequently withdrawn.
The latest action significantly expands the scope of concerns previously identified by U.S. investigators involving UNRWA personnel.
In March, the agency reported that 14 UNRWA employees had been linked to Hamas.
Wednesday’s announcement shows that the investigation has since identified more than 100 current or former workers whose conduct was serious enough to warrant referral to the State Department.
The watchdog indicated that its work is continuing.
Additional referrals to the State Department are expected, and investigators are also considering potential criminal referrals to the Department of Justice.
The findings add to longstanding scrutiny surrounding UNRWA and allegations that members of its workforce maintained ties to Hamas or participated directly in militant activity while employed by the U.N. relief organization.
The investigation is being handled by the inspector general of USAID, an agency the Trump administration shut down last year.
Although USAID itself has been closed, its inspector general’s office has continued pursuing matters connected to prior U.S. assistance and oversight responsibilities.
The referrals do not mean every individual has been convicted of a crime. They represent investigative findings and administrative actions being forwarded to federal agencies for further review.
Still, the cases described by the inspector general include allegations of direct participation in the Oct. 7 attack, including the detention of civilian hostages and coordination with suspected Hamas members during the assault.
With more cases still under examination, the final number of UNRWA employees referred to U.S. authorities could rise further, and some of the allegations may ultimately be presented to the Justice Department for possible criminal prosecution.
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